Conveying apparatus for continuous strip material



c. E. MOORE June 15, 1937.

2,084,211 coNvEYING-APPARATUS-FOR CONTINUOUS STRIP MATERIAL Filed Aug. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l /NVEN To@ CH/PL E. MOO/Pd' C. E. MOORE June 15, 1937. Y

CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS STRIP MATERIAL Filed Aug. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bibl@ ELT C @EL E. MOO/2E A? 14k/ways,

Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFiFlc-E CONVEYING APPARATUS FOB CONTINUOUS STRIP MATERIAL Carl E. Moore. Gary, Ind., assignor to American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 24, 1934;, Serial No. '141,305 2 Claims. (Cl. 271-23) 4point of handling. The most convenient form o f transferring such material is when it is coiled. However, when the strip is unwound for further processing, such as for continuous heat-treating, pickling, cleaning, side-trimming, shearedto-length, or further recoiling, it must be handled in a manner which precludes the possibility of its Wrinkling and/ or kinking. In the majority of cases, these long lengths of strip have a high polish and smooth surface accruing from cold reducing operations which must be protected against scratching or rubbing.

It is often necessary to feed strip material of the type described from a. continuously operating processing mechanism to one which operates intermittently and inl so doing by-pass or avoid 1- other equipment, such as furnaces, pickling tanks,

coils, etc.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel conveying apparatus for continuous strip material which will eifect a uniform'feed or ow, and particularly if such material is extremely long and unusually thin gaged.

Another object is the provision of devices of the class described which' will feed extremely long lengths of continuous strip material over xed equipment in the mill without its being scratched, kinked or otherwise damaged.

A further object is the provision of a conveying apparatus for continuous strip material which wlll function in the manner described and one which may, at the same time, be readily transported to various locations in the mill.

A still further object is to enable uniform feeding of extremely long and thin gaged strip material from a continuously operating machine to one which operates intermittently.

These and further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a sectionalv elevation of the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a. side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is av partial plan of the modification of Figure 4.. l

, Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line VI-VI of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a, stand upon which there is rotatably supported a shaft 3 which, in turn, carries a coil 4 of extremely long continuous strip material. A stand 5 is disposed adjacent the stand 2 vand in which may be those of the well known pinch type or may, if desired, be the last Astand or feedout device of a continuously operatingA metal processing machine.

An elevated arcuate-shaped table 'l is disposed adjacent the stand 5, and defines an incline 8 and a, decline 9, and is suitably supported by legs I0. It is to be noted that the length of the incline 8, as defined by the line X, is substantially shorter than the length of the decline 9 as defined by the line Y.

The continuous surface of the elevated arcuateshaped table 1 is provided with a covering of friction-resistant material I2, such as felt or the like, in order that material to be fed thereover will not be subject to scratching, etc.

A ying shear I4 or other intermittently operating metal processing machine is disposed at the bottom of the decline 9 of the elevated arcuate-shaped table 1' to receive the strip material S being fed thereover.

A hatchway limit switch I5 is disposed intermediate the flying shear I4 and the foot of the decline 9 and carries an arm I6 which is adapted to engage a catenary loop S' formed by the strip material S if it is fcd'too rapidly. The lowering of the arm I6 on the hatchway limit switch I5 effectively retards the rate of feed of the rolls 6 or other equivalent devices at the foot of the ineline 8 of the elevated arcuate-shaped table 1 through any suitable and conventional means. As an example, a motor I9 may be provided for driving a speed reducer I8 through a coupling I9, and this speed reducer connected to the lower of the rolls 6 by a chain 20 and interconnecting companion sprockets 2l. This motor I9 is connected to the contacts I5 of the limit switch I5 by a suitable operating circuit, one form of which.

is illustrated in Figure 1. According to the arrangement of this circuit, when the arm I6 of the limit switch I5 is moved downwardly by the catenary loop S of the strip S, the contactsA I5'l ofv the limit switch I5 are broken. thus deenergizing a relay coil which opens contacts |25.

alinement therewith.' and supports a pair of power driven rolls 6 The opening of the contacts |26 necessitates the passage of current from power lines |21 and |28 to the motor I9 by way o f. a resistance |29, which slows down the motor I9 and thus retards the peripheral speed of the rolls 6 and the strip S therebetween. When the size of the catenary loop S' is decreased by the retardation of the speed of the rolls 6, to such an extent as to be out of contact with the arms I6 on the limit switch I5, the contacts I5a are closed, which results in the energization of the relay |25 and the closing of the contacts |26. ance |29 is cut out? of circuit from the power lines |21 and |28 to the motor I9, and this causes the latter to resume its previous speed.

It is to be'noted from Figure 1 of the drawings that the elevated arcuate-shaped table 1 effectively spans suitable mill equipment which it isdesired the strip S should by-pass (in the presient instance a dryer and scrubber).

In operation, lthe strip material S on the coil 4 is fed from the rolls 6 over the incline 9 of the elevated arcuate-shaped table 1. As the strip S moves over the point of mergence of the incline '8 and down the decline 9 the latter, being of greater length and weight, exerts a substantial pulling effect. This enables the strip material S to ilowsteadily down the decline 9 and toward and into the flying shear I4. If the intermediate operation of the flying shear I4 causes an excess of the strip Sto momentarily form a catenary loop S at the foot of the decline 9, the arm I6 of the hatchway limit switch I5 will be depressed and effect the retardation of the rolls 6 or other feeding device.

In this manner the resist- Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, a modied formof the invention contemplates the provision of a plurality of friction-resistant idle rollers I1 on the surface of the elevated arcuateshaped table 1 in lieu of the felt I2.

While I have shown and described several specific embodiments of my invention, itis tobe understood that I do not wish to be y limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Conveying apparatus for continuous strip portion and a declined portion, means solely at the foot of the inclined portion of said table for moving said material over said inclined portion, the declined portion of s aid table being of suiliciently greater length than the inclined portion thereof to permit the material thereon to act by its own weight to pull itself forwardly with respect to said table, and means in contact with said material for controlling the operation of said rst named means.

` CARL E. MOORE. 

